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JERUSALEM — The day after the fatal cross-border shooting of an Israeli soldier by a member of
the Lebanese armed forces, both sides tried to ease tensions and downplayed reports that Israel
might have returned fire.

Military officials in Lebanon confirmed the shooter was a member of the Lebanese army.
Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounded reports that a Lebanese soldier or soldiers might have been shot
by Israeli forces.

After the initial shooting, Israel lodged a complaint with the United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon and demanded an investigation of the incident. The U.N. force called an urgent meeting of
senior officials from the peacekeeping mission along with Lebanese and Israeli military
officials.

Preliminary findings indicate that the shooting was “an individual action by a soldier” against
operation rules, Maj. Gen. Paolo Serra, head of the U.N. force, said in a statement. The grave
event must remain “an isolated incident,” Serra said.

Lebanese army officials said the incident was the result of “individual behavior on the part of
one of the soldiers” and that it will be investigated.

All parties were interested in “de-escalating the situation as opposed to the opposite,” Lt.
Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli military, said yesterday.

He also acknowledged that Israeli forces, combing the area after the incident, fired shots
toward suspicious movements, later determined to be members of the Lebanese armed forces. They
reported one hit, Lerner said.